Braun, Hart appear on MVP ballots

Brewers outfielders Ryan Braun and Corey Hart each received at least one vote, but Reds first baseman Joey Votto was the runaway winner of the National League MVP Award on Monday.

Votto received 31 out of a possible 32 first-place votes and 443 points to earn his first league MVP honor. He easily beat runner-up Albert Pujols of the Cardinals, who garnered the other first-place vote and 279 total points. Votto prevented Pujols from winning his third MVP Award in a row and fourth overall.

The award was decided by 32 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, two in each NL city, each of whom ranked their top 10 players. The tabulation system awarded 14 points for first place, nine for second, eight for third and on down to one for 10th.

The Brewers were represented in the balloting by Braun and Hart, two of the NL’s three starting outfielders in the All-Star Game in July. Braun placed 15th with 19 total points and ranked as high as sixth on one ballot. Hart received one ninth-place vote for two points.

Braun batted .304 in 2010 with 25 home runs and 103 RBIs and has garnered at least one vote in MVP balloting in each of his four Major League seasons. He finished third in the voting in 2008, when Braun set a career high with 37 home runs, and ran 11th in 2009, when he led the league with 203 hits and set a career high with 114 RBIs.

Hart hit .283 last season and set career highs with 31 homers and 102 RBIs.

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